Dear Friends of Golden Sunbeams,
First of all, we wish you a good 2024 – happy, energetic, healthy and above all peaceful.
Since mid-December and the start of the South African Christmas holidays, we have been intensively involved with three of our kindergartens, all of which will attempt to apply for registration for their kindergarten in 2024.
Initial situation: These kindergartens generally lack money for expansion or improvement measures because the income generated from school fees is very low and parents do not regularly meet their school fee obligations.
However, in South Africa there is the possibility of receiving government funding, although schools can only apply for it, once certain conditions have been met, regarding safety and fire protection, sanitary facilities, classrooms, kitchens and outdoor areas. If all these requirements are not fulfilled, there is no prospect of registration. This means that there is no financial support from the government, despite Nelson Mandela’s famous message: “The true character of society is shown in how it treats its children.”
In 2005 we found the Small World Edu-Care Centre in the township of Nomzamo in a truly dilapidated state. Since then, we have renovated the outdoor facilities, installed a functional kitchen in 2021 and, in June 2022, due to the extreme rainfall, re-roofed it, installed new ceilings, replaced the electrical system and installed LED lamps.
Cynthia, the principal of Small World Edu-Care Centre is very happy that she is finally able to apply for registration. Now it’s time to “keep your fingers crossed”!
Rise and Shine Pre-Primary School in Nomzamo did not yet have registration when we met the principal, Nomthamzamo, in 2012. Since then we have invested a lot: in a new roof, in interior fittings, new electrical systems, emergency exits and escape routes, fire protection and finally in the outdoor facilities. Rise and Shine received registration for the first time in 2019, but it expires this year and must be re-applied for.
When the canopy blew off during the violent storm in June 2023, it was replaced and enlarged. A wise decision, because the new application requires proof of the construction of a third toilet as a result of the increased number of children, as well as an office.
In December, another toilet was built under the canopy and an extension to an office was built opposite. For security reasons – the kindergarten is not inhabited or guarded during the holidays – windows and doors are protected with burglar bars. Nomthamdazo will be able to submit the follow-up application shortly and we are confident that it will be approved.
Covenant Kids on John Wyngaard Street in Strand, was founded by Chrizell Strangman in 2020 and now looks after around 100 little girls and boys. Due to its special pedagogical concept, this kindergarten is very popular, although this does not exempt Chrizell from having to register it again. From the beginning we discussed expansion measures, and in 2022 we finally built a double garage on the small property and used it as a classroom. But even with that we quickly reached our limits again.
Now a good solution is emerging: George and Chrizell have found another house nearby where they will live with their three children. Since the new house is quite large, there is space for 40 of the 100 kindergarten children; the remaining 60 boys and girls will continue to be accommodated in the kindergarten on John Wyngaard Street.
We are currently financing the structural extension of the house on John Wyngaard Street so that Chrizell can then apply for registration. As part of this, a wooden extension had to removed to make room for a new extension with two additional toilets including basins. George’s office was moved to the new house, creating an additional classroom for the children in the old one.
Now we are busy laying the electrical cables, and when that is done, Chrizell and George will take care of applying for registration for these 60 children. As soon as they have received the registration for this, we will be able to take the measures to register the “Strangman branch” with its 40 children.
In 2024, we will continue to strive to attain Nelson Mandela’s message and to improve the livelihoods of children so that opportunities for a safer future are created. We hope that you will continue to support us as actively as before. We would like to say THANK YOU for this today!
Warm regards
Britta & Bernd